Lift Ashingdon

Ashingdon Primary Academy has demonstrated significant improvements since its last inspection, rising from a previous grade of 'Requires Improvement' to 'Good' in all areas assessed. The school is committed to ensuring that every pupil, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieves their potential, supported by a strong and dedicated staff team. Pupils are not only performing well academically, but they also show positive attitudes toward learning, feel safe, and participate actively in school life and community events. While the overall quality of education is strong, a few areas need addressing, particularly in how the school evaluates pupil progress in some foundation subjects. Additionally, there are occasional inconsistencies in the presentation of new information by teachers, which can hinder student understanding. Nevertheless, the leadership is knowledgeable and proactive, working diligently to ensure that the school meets its objectives effectively.

Strengths

• Strong commitment to ensuring all pupils succeed academically and personally
• Effective reading instruction that matches books to pupils' learning levels
• High priority placed on reading and strong subject knowledge among teachers
• Positive and cooperative relationships between staff and pupils
• Well-planned early years provision that encourages social interaction
• Enrichment activities that promote pupils' interests and citizenship

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent assessment practices in some foundation subjects
• Occasional unclear presentations by teachers affecting pupil learning

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Lift Ashingdon attended 96.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 4.5% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 1.0% of pupils at Lift Ashingdon were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Lift Ashingdon had 27.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 11.6% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 10.2% of pupils at Lift Ashingdon were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.4% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Lift Ashingdon received £6,605 and spent £7,017 for each of its 209 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £168,000 (£803 per pupil).

Across all 59 schools of Lift Schools, income was £8,746 and spending £8,644 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Rochford · Essex local authority: places and applications

Lift Ashingdon is part of Lift Schools, which runs 62 schools. The nearest others:

• Lift Greensward Hockley
• Lift Plumberow Hockley
• Lift Westerings Hockley
• Lift Hockley Hockley
• Lift Maltings Witham
• Lift New Rickstones Witham
• Lift Clacton Clacton On Sea
• Lift St James the Great East Malling
• Lift Bexleyheath Bexleyheath
• Lift Hamford Walton On The Naze

What is Lift Ashingdon's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Lift Ashingdon is Good, from an inspection in October 2023.

When was Lift Ashingdon last inspected by Ofsted?

Lift Ashingdon was last inspected in October 2023.

How many pupils does Lift Ashingdon have?

Lift Ashingdon has 206 pupils on roll.

What age range does Lift Ashingdon cover?

Lift Ashingdon for pupils aged 5 to 11.

What are Lift Ashingdon's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 87% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Lift Ashingdon?

Lift Ashingdon is at Fambridge Road, Ashingdon, Rochford, Essex, SS4 3LN.